Hosiery marking machine



G. C. WENDT ET AL HOSIERY MARKING MACHINE June 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1950 Quin ATT RNEYSZ June 9, 1953 G. -c. WENDT ET AL HOSIERY MARKING MACHINE TE IE.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 3, 1950 ATTOR June 9, 1953 G. c. WENDT ET AL HOSIERY MARKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 3, 1950 June 9, 1953 G. c. WENDT ET AL HOSIERY MARKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1950 I I uh- INVENTORS.

n 6/? W N a. Z V M n i WIIII June 9, 1953 G. c. WENDT ET AL 2,641,178

HOSIERY MARKING MACHINE Filed Nov 3, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 5 TEJE. Tzcql.

i T ATT RNEYS.

Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,641,178 nosmnr MARKING mortise Gustav '0. Wendi: and Peter C. Wendt, Jr., Boonton, N. J assi'gnors 'to Pohatcong Hosiery Mills, 1110., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 2, 1950, Serial No. 193,928

. Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an apparatus for marking fabrics made of synthetic yarn by heat stretching loops or stitches in said fabrics. The apparatus is particularly useful in connection with nylon fabrics and especially with nylon hosiery to carry out the method disclosed in U. S. Patent #2,424,124 issued July 15, 1947. In ac:- cordance with this method, pointed heated needles arranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern are inade to penetrate the fabric. These heated needles are thick enough to stretch the loops or stitches of the fabric penetrated and when these loops are set in stretched condition, they form an easily visible permanent design indicative of the gauge, denier or other characteristic of the fabric.

The present invention has for some of it's objects the provision of an apparatus which is compact and occupies a minimum of floor space,

which is eas and convenient to operate, which permits high rate of production, which produces designs with neatness, accuracy and uniformity, which permits the designs to be formed selectively either in color or Without color without dis-'- L coloring the fabric around the region of the design, which is safe and proof against the possi= bility of injury to the fabric, as for example by overheating, which is automatic in its control or the temperature to which the fabric is subjected during heat stretchihg operations and in the length of each fabric penetrating. and heat stretching cycle, and which lends itself easily to adjustment in the degree of heat and period of each fabric penetrating cycle.

In the apparatus of the present invention, a series of needles heated and thermostatically controlled are made to penetrate the fabric to be marked. As one feature, means are providedunder manual control for initiating each fabric penetrating cycle of the needles, and timer means are provided for automatically determining the length of the cycle and for withdrawing the needles from the fabric at the end of each cycle, as determined by the setting of said tii'ner means.

As another feature, the stretched fabric loops are colored through a dye ribbon threaded through the apparatus and across the path of movement of the fabric penetrating needles, so as to be punctured by said needles in their movement towards the fabric to be penetratively marked. The dye from the ribbon is picked up by the puncturing needles and transferred to the loops of the fabric penetrated by said needles. This ribbon comes from a supply supported on the apparatus in a manner to permit it to be fed 2 across said path in successive steps so that a fresh ribbon section is presented to the needles prior to each fabric penetrating operation.

As a further feature, a protective ribbon for preventing direct contact between the dye ribbon and the fabric being penetrated is employed. This protective ribbon, intervening between the dye ribbon and the fabric, comes froin'a supply so supported on the apparatus as to permit the two ribbons to be fed together across the path of movement of the needles.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective oi an apparatus in operation embodying the present invention and adapted to penetrati'vely form an identifying design in fabric made of heat stretchable synthetic yarn;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a stocking made of nylon or other heat stretchable synthetic yarn penetratively marked by the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the apparatus but with the supporting table and the cover removed;

Fig. 4 is a section of the upper part of the apparat'us taken approximately along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3';

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the upper part of the apparatus taken approximately along the lines 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view or the female die DOT-E tion of the apparatus taken along the lines E'-S of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the presser foot plate;

Fig. 8 is a section of the apparatus taken approximately along the lines 8-42 of Fig. 5 and showing the stretching needles in raised inactive position prior to the initiation of the fabric penetrating cycle;

Fig. 9 is a section of the apparatus taken approximately along the lines ii9 of Figs. 5 and 8;-

Fig. 10 is a side view of the solenoid controlled latch device for automatically raising the stretching needles at the end of a set fabric penetrating cycle as determined by a timer and shown while said needles are raised in inactive position and before the cycle has been initiated;

Fig. 11 is a side view of the latch device indicated in Fig. 10, but shown at the instant the needles have been lowered into fabric penetra ing lower limiting position by operation of the manual control;

Fig. 12 is a side view of the latch device indi- 3 cated in Fig. 11, but shown at the instant the manual control is released and before the end of the fabric penetrating cycle;

Fig. 13 is a perspective of a catch or detentpiece forming part of the latch device shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12;

Fig. 14 is a rear view of the timer unit employed in the apparatus to terminate automatically the fabric penetrating cycle in accordance with the setting of said unit;

Fig. is a side elevation of the timer unit shown with part of a frame plate removed and taken approximately along the lines I 5I 5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section of the columnar supporting structure for the apparatus;

Fig. 1'7 is a detail bottom view of the base of the apparatus taken approximately along the lines I'II'I of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 is a wiring diagram for the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings and especially to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a frame structure made up in general of a base III, a post I I on said base and a hollow arm I2 at the upper end of said base housing part of the operating mechanism. Secured to the post II is a bed-plate I3 carrying a female die I4 (Fig. 5) for a bank of fabric penetrating needles I5. A head I6 carrying the needles I5 is mounted at the outer end of the arm I2 for reciprocation up and down with respect to said bed-plate. A table I! (Fig. 1) may be provided to support the articles, such as the hosiery A, to be penetratively marked.

More specifically, the frame base It is of hollow construction as shown in Figs. 16 and 17 to house part of the operating mechanism and the post II comprises a hollow cylindrical pillar I8 (Figs. 1, 4 and 16) seated on said base, a short hollow column 28 of rectangular cross-section seated on said pillar and a bolt 2I rigidly securing said base, pillar and column together. The bed-plate I3 is secured to the column 20 by studs 22 (Fi 4).

The arm I2 consists of a bracket 24 (Figs. 3 and 4) with a floor section 25 secured to the column 20 by studs 25 and a cover 27 seated on said floor section and removably secured to the bracket by means of a screw 28 which passes through the top wall of said cover and which is threaded into the upper end of an upright 29 extending from said floor section.

The needle carrying head I6 comprises a housing 30 (Figs. '1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9) for an electric heater 3| and carries a thermometer 32 indicating the temperature of said heater as well as a thermostat 33 for said heater seated thereon. The needles I5 of metal are secured in any suitable manner, as for example by press-fitting, to a rectangular metal plate 34, which in turn is fixedly mounted by screws 35 on a larger rectangular metal mounting plate 35 secured to the underside of the housing 30 by screws 31 and projecting on all sides beyond the corresponding sides of said housing for the purpose later to be described. Seated loosely on the plate 36 inside of the housing 30 is the heater unit 3| which may be of any suitable construction and which, in th specific construction shown, comprises a resistance strip inside a metal casing 38 carryin a pair of terminals 40 for the strip. The heat of the strip is conducted to the casing 38, the plate 36 and the needle plate 34 and then to the needles I5 themselves.

Mounted on the plate 36 is a presser foot (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8) comprising an outer rectangular metal plate 45 secured by screws 41 to an inner rectangular plat 48 made of fiber or other suitable insulating material. The outer plate 46 is provided with holes 50 in alignment with the needles I5 and of size to permit these needles to pass freely but snugly therethrough when the head I6 is lowered for fabric penetrating operation.

The presser foot 45 is yieldably mounted for movement towards and away from the mounting plate 36 and for that purpose four upright plungers in the form of studs 52 pass loosely through the respective corners of said plate and are threaded at their lower ends to the fiber plate 48. The heads 53 of these studs 52 seat on the end sections of th plate 35 projecting beyond the ends of the housing 30 and serve as stops to limit the downward movement of the presser foot with respect to the plate 36.

Means for yieldably forcing the presser foot 45 downward comprise a pair of parallel leaf springs 55 (Figs. 5, 8 and 9) secured to th projecting front and rear sections of the plate 36 by means of clamps 56 and screws 51 and having offset ends 58 engaging the stud heads 53. Each of these leaf springs 55 may comprise two thin superposed layers and their action is to hold the presser foot 45 yieldably down.

. To permit the needles I5 to descend as far as possible with respect to the presser foot 45 in its fabric penetrating operation, the fiber plate 48 (Fig. 5) has a rectangular opening 6| corresponding in shape to the outline of the needle carrier plate 34 but slightly larger, to receive said plate during this operation.

Since the metal plate 46 of the presser foot 45 is insulated from the studs 52 through the fiber plate 48 to which they are connected, this metal plate does not become heated by conduction from the heater unit 3 I The bed-plate I3 carries the female die I4 for the needles I5. For that purpose, the bed-plate I3 is formed with an opening I0 (Figs. 5, 6 and 8) defining a seat TI for the female die I4. This female die is in the form of a plate and has a series of holes 73 in registry with the holes 50 in the presser foot 45. The die plate I4 is removably secured in place in the bed-plate I3 by means of screws I4 passing through said plate and said bed-plate and held tight in position by knurled thumb nuts I5 accessible from the underside of the bed-plate.

The needles I5, the holes 5!) in the presser foot plate 46 and the holes I3 in the female die plate I4 are arranged in a pattern according to the identifying design to be applied to the stockings. The design may be in the form of a letter, number, word, pictorial illustration or other insignia. In the specific form shown in Fig. 2, the applied design consists of the letter N and the number 51, the latter indicating the gauge of the nylon threads.

It should be noted that the presser foot 45, the needles I5, the plates 34 and 35 associated therewith and the spring means 55 acting on said presser foot form a nedle unit which may be removed as such from the housing 30 by removing the studs 31 and which may be replaced by a needle unit of a different fabric marking design. The female die plate I 4 can be also easily replaced by one corresponding in design to that of the needle unit.

The thermometer 32 for the heater 3| comprises a pointer (Figs. 1, 5 and 8) on the front wall of the housing 30 movable over a scale 8I. The

thermostat 33 (Figs. 5 and 9) for this heater 3| may be of any suitable well known construction and has a pair of terminals 82 and an adjusting screw 83 accessible from the outside of the housing 39 through a hole 84 (Figs. 1 and 9) in the front wall of said housing. By turning this screw I 83, the thermostat 33 may be set to maintain the temperature of the needles I5 to any desired point which may, for example, be the setting temperature of nylon, in case the fabric being marked is nylon. The temperature responsive element of this thermostat 33 may be in contact with the metal casing 38 of the stripheater 3 I.

The needle carrying head It is guided for sliding movement up and down. For that purpose, there is seated on and secured to the column by screws 26 (Figs. 3 and 4) the bracket 24, the front end or which has an upward extension 92 (Figs-3, 4, 5 and 8) with side flanges 93 to form a guide frame. Removably'secured to the front face of this guide frame 92 by means of studs 94 is a pair of spaced guide strips 95 with V-shaped runways for a slide 91. This slide 91 is afiixed to the head I6 by means of a plate IEIIl (Figs. 5 and 8) secured to said slide by long screws NH. The plate Illt in turn is attached by screws I92 to a block I03 which is ailixed to the top wall of the housing 33 by screws I04. The block I03 is of insulating material to prevent the heat from the heater unit 3I being conducted to the frame arm I2 and to the operating structure therein. An electric connection I05, shown as a plug for the heater 3|, is seated on and secured to the plate I00 and is adapted to be detaohably connectedto th power lines through an electric connection I05 (Fig. 18) shown as a socket member.

For manually depressing the slide ill, the base Ill carries a bracket I Iii (Figs. 16 and 17) to which is pivoted a treadle III extending to the outside of said base and terminating in a foot piece I I2.

Pivotally connected to this treadle I I I is the lower end of an upright rod link II3, passing through the post II and pivotally connected at its upper end at M4 to a lever H5. This link II3 has a bumper stop IIG connected to its lower end for engaging the top wall I II of the base It when the foot pressure is removed from the treadle I I I and for thereby limiting upward releasing movement of the link I It with cushioning effect.

The lever II5 is pivotally secured at its rear end at II8 (Figs. 3, 4 and 16) to an upward rear extension II9 of the bracket 24, passes through a slot in the upright 29, so as to be guided there.- by in its angular movement, extends near its forward end through an elongated slot I23 (Figs. 3, 4 and 8) in the guide frame 92 and passes at its forward end snugly through a hole I2I in the slide er to form a connection between said lever and said slide. This connection permits limited angular movement of the lever II5 with respect to the slide 91, as said slide is moved up and down through the angular movement of said lever about its pivotal support at H8.

A coil spring I24 (Figs. 4 and 16) on the link I I3, seating on the bracket 24 and bearing against a collar I25 on said link, urgesthe lever II5 upwardly and thereby normally maintains the head It carrying the needles I5 in raised intactive position.

When the foot treadle III .is depressed, the head I5 is lowered and the needles I5 are depressed through the fabric on the bed-plate I3 to initiate the heat stretching cycle. The treadle III is released when foot pressure is removed therefrom, but a latch deviceholds the headIG marked is relieved slightly,

in depressed position'against. the action of the spring I24 for a period of time determined by the settingof the timer I (Figs. 3, 4, 14 and 15). The latch device comprises a movable piece I3I (Figs. 4, 8, 10,- 11 and 12) pivotally suspended in its angular movement by a pin I4I affixed to.

the lug I33 and passing through a hole I42 in said latch piece. The detent I40 is secured to the lever II5.

In the raised inactive position of the needle carrying head I6 shown in Figs. 8 and 10, the detent I40 will'be in raised position opposite and adjacent to the detent follower edge I31 of the latch piece I3I and the solenoid I will be deenergized, so that its plunger I35 will be in lowered position and said latch piece will be urged clockwise (Fig. 10) about its pivot support It l against said detent. The weight of the plunger I35 and of the latch piece I3! is sufficient to maintain said latch piece in this position. However, if deisred, the plunger I35 may be springloaded.

When the treadle I I I is depressed, the lever I it is depressed and this causes the detent Hill on said lever to ride along the follower edge I3? on the latch piece I3I and to cam said latch piece counterclockwise (Fig. 10) about its pivot support I34 out of the way until the detent reaches the notch I38. The plunger I35 has limited transverse play in the solenoid coils to permit this camming of the latch piece I3I out of the way of the descending detent I43. When the detent I reaches the notch I38, the latch piece Iiil snaps clockwise about its pivot support I34, while the detent I40 continues to move downwardly with the lever II5 until said detent reaches the limit of its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 11, determined by the engagement of said lever with an adjustable stop screw I 32 (Fig. 8) threaded into the bracket 24. In this limiting position, the detent I40 is a small dis tance below the stop end of the notch I38 and the fabric on the bed-plate I3 is under maximum pressure from the spring-biased presser foot 45. This starts the heat stretching of the penetrated loops or stitches of the fabric being marked. When foot pressure is removed from the treadle I I I, the lever III) under the action of the spring I24 lifts the lever until the detent IZIII reaches the stop end of the notch I38 on the latch piece I3I, as shown in Fig. 12. In this position, the pressure of the presser foot on the fabric being but the heated needles I5 continue their heat stretching operation on the fabric.

As soon as the lever H5 is lowered, the heat stretching cycle is initiated and is automatically terminated by the timer I30. The actuation of the timer I30 causes the solenoid I36 to be energized at the end of a predetermined cycle in the manner to be described. This causes the plunger I35 to be raised and the latch piece IZII to be rotated counterclockwise about its pivot support I34, from the position shown in Fig. 12, a small angular distance sufficient to free the detent Hill. This causes the lever II5 to rise instantly under the action of the spring I24 and the needle I5 ,to. rise out of the fabric into inactive position.

The timer I30 may be of any suitable construction and has an electric motor II (Figs. 14, 15 and 18) of the usual type employed in connection with clocks and timers. Such a motor, for example may be of the general type disclosed in U. S. Patents 1,977,185, 1,977,186, 1,996,375 and 2,049,261. This timer I30 is removably secured to the rear end of the bracket 24 by screws I50 (Fig. 3) and its motor I5I is connected to a source of power through a cord I49 (Figs. 1, 16 and 18) having a plug I52 for connection to an ordinary wall outlet and passing into the apparatus through the base III as shown. In the circuit of this motor I5I is a switch I53 (Figs. 3, 4, 8, and 18) secured in fixed position to a bracket I54 mounted on the guide frame 92 and having a spring-pressed contact plunger I55 in the path of the upper edge of the lever II5, so as to be pressed inwardly by said edge in the inactive raised position of said lever. In this inward pressed position, the switch I53 is open and the timer motor I5I is therefore stationary.

The timer I36 includes not only the motor I5I but a spring-actuated switch I51 (Figs. 14. and 18) in the circuit of the solenoid I36 normally maintained open and closed automatically by the operation of the motor when said motor has rotated a predetermined number of revolutions. The timer I30 for that purpose is shown including a control arm I58 having a hub journalled in a frame plate I59 of the timer and connected to an adjusting head I60. A shaft I6I is journalled at one end in the hub of the control arm I58 and is driven from the motor I5I through a pinion I62 meshing with a gear I63 on said shaft. Aifixed to this shaft I6I is a cam arm I64 urged clockwise (Fig. 15) against a stop pin I65 on the control arm I58 by means of a spring I66 anchored at one end and secured at its other end to said shaft, around which it is wound. This spring I66 is supplemented by another spring I61 anchored at one end and secured at its other end to the shaft carrying the pinion I62 and wound around said shaft. A pivoted lever I68 lies in the path of rotation of the cam arm I64 and is swung thereby counterclockwise (Fig. 15) about its pivot support into position to close the switch I51, when said arm is rotated by the rotation of the motor I5I.

In the operation of the timer I38, when the lever II5 is depressed by application of foot pressure on the treadle III, the switch I 53 in the circuit of the motor I5I is automatically released and thereby closed and this causes the motor to rotate against the action of the springs I66 and I61 and the cam arm I64 to rotate counterclockwise (Fig. 15) through the gears I62 and I63 from its initial angular position determined by its engagement with the stop pin I65 on the control arm I58, until said cam arm I6 1 reaches the lever I68. The cam arm I64 raises the lever I68 and thereby closes the switch I51 in the circuit of the solenoid I36. This energizes the solenoid I38 and operates the latch piece I8I in position to release the lever II5, so that it rises under the action of the spring I24. This action opens the switch I53 and deenergizes the solenoid I36. the switch I53 is not only in the circuit of the solenoid I36 but also in the circuit of the motor I5I, as shown in the wiring diagram of Fig. 18, so that the release and the attendant rise of the lever H5 into engagement with the contact plunger of the switch I53 instantly shuts off the timer motor I5I. The .motor I5I, when shut off, is free'to be rotated in reverse direction by It should be noted that the unwinding action of the springs I66 and I61, so that the cam arm I64 is restored to its initial inactive position shown in Fig. 15 as de termined by the position of the control arm I58.

The length of the fabric heating and penetrating cycle depends on the angular position of the control arm I58. This angular position, and consequently the length of the cycle, can be adjusted through the turning of the adjusting head I66.

In Fig. 18 is shown the wiring diagram for the whole electrical system for the apparatus. In this system, the heater 3I is connected across the main lines through the plug and socket con nection I85, I86, 50 that even if the main plug I52 is connected into the wall socket, the heater 3| may be disconnected until the operator is ready for a run. For that purpose, the electric connection I65 (Figs. 5, 8 and 18) is adapted to receive the connection I86 from the main lines coming out of the side of the post I8 or the frame arm I2.

A snap switch I69 (Figs. 3 and 18) across the main lines is mounted on the side wall of the frame column 26 and a signal light I10 in the circuit of said switch and mounted on said column alongside of said switch indicates when said circuit is connected to the main lines.

A connector block I12 (Figs. 10 and 18) serves to connect the wiring from the different electrical units together. This block is shown secured to the bracket I54 affixed to the frame supporting the solenoid I36.

A counter I15 (Figs. 3 and 4) is supported on the upright 29 and has a shaft I16 with an arm I11 attached thereto adapted to be actuated during every marking operation of the apparatus by a pin I18 on a block I56 carried by the lever II5.

The apparatus is constructed to support stockings which are in undyed and unfinished condition in position easily accessible to the operator and to support these stockings after they have been marked in position also easily accessible to the operator. For that purpose, on the rear of the column 26 are two lugs I (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) having apertures to receive the pivot ends I82 of two rods or wires I83, each bent to form a holder with a crook I84 over which the loose hosiery is hung. These holders I83 may be swung about the axes of their pivot ends I82 to extend outwardly sideways from the column 20 or forwardly into position accessible to the operator or may be swung rearwardy out of the way. The operator merely picks up the stockings from one holder I83, marks them and then hangs them on the other holder I83.

The table I1 (Figs. 1 and 4) may be employed to support the stockings when they are finished, dyed and stacked as shown in Fig. 1. This table I1 has a pair of long rods I9I extending obliquely thereacross for stability and fixed to said table at one end, as for example by rivetting. At the other end, these rods I9I project beyond the edge of the table I1 and are adapted to be removably fitted in two holes respectively in a split collar I93 clamped to the pillar I8. The position of the collar I93 on the pillar I8 may be changed to change the elevation of the table I1 and this table may be removed when not required.

It may be desired to emphasize the penetrative markings in the stocking by coloring. For that purpose, there is provided on one side of the arm I2 a reel I96 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) supported for free rotation on'a spindle I81 secured to a bracket I98 having a base 200 afiixed to the -during the descent thereof.

an elongated eyelet Y "accepts underside'of' the'br-acket A l. Wound on this' reel 96 is a paper ribbon 2M containing a suitable transfer dye. This ribbon 2M runs from the reel 96 across the bottom of the presser foot 45" and is puncturedby the heated needles i5 During this operation, the needles ii:- pichup from the ribbon and transfer it to the stitches or loops of the stocking being penetrated and stretched by said needles, so that these titches will be colored.

For guiding the dye ri Jon Lftl past the presser foot 45' and to locate the end or said ribbon in position easily accessible to the operator for pulling, the p'resser foot (Figs. 5 and 7) has a pair of slits 2% in the ends of said plate projecting beyond the insulating plate 48 and secured to the end or the bracket baserlic on the side of the'arm l2 opposite the reel tilt is an upright rod 2125 (Figs. l and i) termi', ting in Ihe dye ribbon 2st is threaded through the slits tilt in the presser foot plate at and "through the eyelet 2th and hangs down'at the end as shown in 5. Ihe operator at the end of each marking operation pulls the dye ribbon 2M at the hanging end thereof, to move a fresh section of said ribbon across the bottom otthe presser loot plate 48 for the next marking operation.

In order to prevent the dye from the ribbon 20! from being transferred to and over the surface of the stocking in the region being penetrated, the stocking is shielded against direct contact with said ribbon. For that purpose, thereis provided a second reel 2 ill (Fig. 1) alon side of the reel I96 supported for free rotation on a spindle 2H secured to the bracket I38.

Wound on this second reel 2 l G is a protective paper ribbon ZIZ colorless or colorably inert and run from said reel in underlying relationship with respect to the dye ribbon 20! through the presser plate slits 2M and through the eyelet 2%, so as to be interposed between said dye ribbon and the stocking being marked. The protective ribbon 212 is fed in successive sections with the dye ribbon 201 through the apparatus by pulling the hanging ends of these ribbons together and serves not only to prevent dye transfer to the stocking except through the needles IE, but may also serve to heat insulate the stocking while the presser foot 45 is down in'oase such presser' foot should for some reason become hot from long operations.

In the operation of the apparatus, when the table I! is set up, and the articles to be marked are dyed, finished stockings, these stockings A neatly stacked are laid on the table, and the stack doubly folded with the upper parts of the stockings overlying the lower foot parts. The upper part of the top stocking of the folded stack, which was originally the bottom stocking or the stack before it was doubly folded, is then slipped over the bed-plate l3, so that the part of this stocking to be marked lies flat over the female die plate M on said bed-plate as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The treadle Iii is then depressed, and this lowers the head It carrying the heated needles H5. in their descent puncture the dyed and protective ribbons Edi and M2 and penetrate the loops, or stitches in the stockings. At the same time, the switch it is released and thereby closed and this causes the timer motor l5l to rotate. The operator releases the foot pressure on the treadle l i i, but the head 86 remains in lowered heat stretching position through the operation of the latch device it i Hill,

Until-the timer l'3'D sh1'1ts off the Switch It? in 'the' circuit 'Of the'solenoid. I36. operates to the table l1, and the next folded stocking above it is subjected to the same operation after thenext sections of the ribbons 2M and 2 I2 have been pulled into operative position across the 1 presser foot 45. These operations are repeated until the last stocking asshown in Fig. 1 is marked.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for forming apermanent marl: of predetermined design in a fabric, the

combination of means for supporting abankfof needles arranged in accordance witha predetermined pattern, means under manual control for moving the needle supporting means i'r'om inactive position into operative positionto' cause the needle to penetrate the fabric to hem tked, said means comprising a reciprocatory hea on which the needle supporting means is mounted and pivoted operating lever connected to said head, a timer, means for automatically initiating the operation of the t'i'm'erwh'en the needle supporting means is moved into bpe'rauveposition, latch means mounted on a'fiiied support and engageable with said head operating lever, for automatically holding the needle supoi'ting means-when the needle supporting-means operative position, solenoid means for T the latch means, means responsive to the p tion of the timer for a predetermined period for actuating the solenoid means in position "to release the latch means and to permit thereby'the needle supporting means to'retu'rn'to inactive position, and means for returning the needle "supporting means to inactive positionupon release or the latch means.

2. In an'apparatus for forminga permanent mark of predetermined design in a fabric, the combination of means for supporting a bank of needles arranged in accordance witha predeter- 'min'ed pattern, means under manual control for moving the needle supporting means framinaotive position into operative position to cause theneedles to penetrate the fabric to bemarked,

. said means comprising a reciprocatory'h'ead on which the needle supporting means is mounted and a pivoted operating lever connected to said head, a timer having a motor, a switch, and means for closing the switch when the motor has rotated a predetermined number of revolutions, a second switch in the circuit of the motor, means for opening the second switch automatically while the needle supporting means is in inactive position and for closing the second switch automatically when said needle supporting means is moved out of inactive position towards operative position to initiate the rotation of the motor, latch means mounted on a fixed support and engageable with said head operating lever for automatically holding the needle supporting means in operative position, a solenoid in the circuit of the timer switch for releasing the latch means when the solenoid is energized, and spring means for moving the needle supporting means to inactive position when the latch means has been released, the second switch being also in the circuit of the solenoid, whereby the timer motor is stopped and the solenoid is de-energized when the needle supporting means reaches inactive position.

3. In an apparatus for forming a permanent mark of predetermined design in a fabric by stretching the stitch loops thereof, the combina tion of means for supporting the fabric in'position for marking, a bank of needles arranged in accordance with said design, means for reciprocating the needles towards the fabric supporting means into fabric penetrating position and away from the fabric supporting means into inactive position, a reel for supporting a supply of color transfer ribbon, and a presser foot resiliently mounted for movement with the needles and for yieldable movement with respect thereto, said presser foot having openings to permit the color transfer ribbon to be threaded across the presser foot between it and the fabric to be marked, whereby the ribbon is punctured by the needles during their movement towards fabric penetrating position and the color from the ribbon is consequently transferred by the needles to the I penetrated loops of the fabric, the ribbon threading means permitting the ribbon to be fed lengthwise, whereby successive sections of the ribbon may be brought into puncturing position with respect to the needles.

4. In an apparatus for forming a permanent mark of predetermined design in a fabric by stretching the stitched loops thereof, the combination of means for supporting the fabric in position for marking, a bank of needles arranged in accordance with the said design, means for reciprocating the needles towards the fabric supporting means into fabric penetrating position and away from the fabric supporting means into inactive position, means for supporting a puncturable color transfer sheet in the path of the needles between the needles and the fabric supporting means, whereby the transfer sheet is punctured by the needles during their movement towards fabric penetrating position and the color from the transfer sheet is consequently transferred by the needles to the penetrated loops of the fabric, and means for supporting a protective sheet between the color transfer sheet and the fabric supporting means to prevent transfer of color from said sheet to the fabric except through the needles.

5. In an apparatus for forming a permanent mark of predetermined design in a fabric by stretching the stitch loops thereof, the combination of means for supporting the fabric in position for marking, a bank of needles arranged in accordance with said design, means for reciprocating the needles towards the fabric supporting means into fabric penetrating position and away from the fabric supporting means into inactive position, a reel for a supply of color transfer ribbon, a second reel for a supply of protective ribbon, and means for threading the two ribbons from the reels in overlying relationship across the path of reciprocating movement of the needles with the protective ribbon intervening between the color transfer ribbon and the fabric supporting means, whereby the color transfer ribbon is punctured by the needles during their movement towards fabric penetrating position and the color from the color transfer ribbon is consequently transferred by the needles to the penetrated loops of the fabric, while the fabric is protected against direct contact from the color transfer ribbon by the protective ribbon, the ribbon threading means permitting the two ribbons to be fed together lengthwise, whereby successive sections of the ribbons may be brought into the puncturing field of the needles.

GUSTAV C. WENDT. PETER C. WENDT, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 211,619 Campbell Jan. 28, 1879 486,906 Stenwall Nov. 29, 1892 1,144,340 Campbell June 22, 1915 1,369,934 Onstad Mar. 1, 1921 1,438,191 Smith et a1 Dec. 12,1922 1,481,102 Krause Jan. 15, 1924 1,484,455 Abbott Feb. 19, 1924 1,718,476 Messmer June 25, 1929 2,000,201 Thompson May 7, 1935 2,053,473 Gould et a1 Sept. 8, 1936 2,177,615 Autem Oct. 24, 1939 2,424,124 Seemuller July 15, 1947 2,524,604 Seemuller Oct. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 445,001 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1936 

